Special needs (ASD) services in Edgbaston?

[Fluffymonster]

Hi - I'm making an enquiry on behalf of my friend, who has a ds with ASD - he will be 4yo in July.

Do you know what services there are, for children with autism in the Edgbaston area?

Any information would be good as at the moment she would not even know where to start, in finding out what is available (not lived in UK for many years).

I will post this in the Special Needs forum as well, but am trying as many avenues as possible. Thanks

Yes, do go to the SN section. They are so helpful and knowledgeable - even better if she can post there herself too.

It's complicated. Is she new to the UK or already in the system, eg has a GP, a health visitor, her DS goes to a nursery?

If not, then a GP is probably the place to start - get them to refer you to as many places as you can think of. Ask for a health visitor, a referral to a paediatrician, a referral for any checks she is keen to get, eg hearing, vision, any other health issues.

Presumably she has a diagnosis report of some kind from where she used to live? Make loads of copies so they can be given or sent to all the different departments she will end up dealing with .

I would phone up the local education authority too and try to get started on what school she'd like him to go to (if any) in September and whether he needs a statutory assessment for a statement of special educational needs.

The SEN code of practice might help her see what she is entitled to on the education front.

Re autism support in particular - I don't know the area but in all honesty there tends to be precious little in this country. I have a DS with autism too who is 4 today! I'm a little further south than Birmingham but happy to help if she wants to PM me.

Sorry, am confusing you and her in that post all over the place, but you get the gist.

Thanks for your reply Schobe - and happy birthday to your ds, hope you've both had a nice day.

I will be pass on the thread/s and info to her. The SEN code of practice looks particularly useful.

The situation is indeed complicated - she is a UK national but DS was born outside of the country - so therefore not registered over here. His diagnosis was made abroad too.

She may post at some point, but going through a tough separation-impending-divorce at the moment (hubs basically upped and left them a few months back, and she is now coping with being a single Mum in a foreign country.) A bit overwhelmed/exhausted which is why she's asked me gather what information I can, for her.

She hasn't made any firm decisions yet - but more starting the process of weighing up her options.

Is going private any better regarding availability of services (i.e. speech therapy etc? Hubs is (atm at least) making noises about helping them out financially.

Yes for some things going private is better. DS gets no SALT input offered at all apart from a school SALT popping in from time to time now he's at a special school nursery. He uses PECS well to request things but largely because I went on (and paid for) a course and produced all the materials.

We've had a nice day thanks, though DS is not hugely aware it's his birthday. He liked the cake though a lot .